Fire-escape



UNITED f STATES APATENT Crimen.

ROBERT W. BRADLEY, OE DENVER, COLORADO.

, FIRE-ESCAPE.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,707, datei February 19, 1889:.

' Application led March 5, l8f3. (No model.)

T all whom, it mfc/y con/cern.: i

Be it known that I, BOBERTI.` W. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description ofthe invention, such as will 'enable others skilledin the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked there on, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in fireescapes, by which persons and merchandise can be removed from burning buildings without loss of life-or injury to person or property, simple in construction, easily adjusted from high to lower stories, being light and strong, and so arranged that a child may descend from high buildings to the ground without injury.

I attain these objects by means of the device lillustrated by the` accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure l is a direct front view. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a. section of the springs, showing attachment of springs. Fig. 4 is a represen tation of cuffs to be worn on the arms.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the springs and cushion.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the bottom. A is a slide or chute, made of canvas or other flexible material, to the edges of which are secured wire, hemp, or otherkind of ropes. One end of said ropes is provided with loops B B, adaptedto attach to hooks C C,which are placed in the walls of buildings on either side of the windows, or through which a strong scantling may be passed, which is placed across the inside of the Window, as shown in Fig. l. The other end of the ropes is provided with loops B B', adapted toreceive hooks `D*D,which are attached to .a cylindrical-shaped spring-receiver, E, the'case of which is formed by the canvas, and by attaching a piece of canvas of like Width and suitable length thereto. In either side of the spring-receiver are secured ropes d d, provided at one end withthe hooks I) D, and at the other end with loops F F.

A Through these loops passes a circular rope, H,

to which is attached, by means of screws or nails f f, a circular board, I, having notchesz' z', in which the ropes cl d t.

To the bottom I are attached springs 7c k k. To the opposite ends of the springs 7c 7c 1c is attached a circular board, I', having similar springs, k' 7c', to the other end of which a eircular board, Il, is secured. The board I2 has a groove, Z, extending around its entire circumference. Y

' 'Io the board I2 is attached a cushion,which is covered with canvas, cloth, or leather,which extends downward t'o the board I', to which it is securely attach ed by nailing the covering to the edges of the board I', ineasing the springs lc' k'. A. small cord, rope, or wire is drawn tight over the covering where it passes over the edge of the board I2, compressing the covering into the groove in the circumference of the board I2.

To the loops F F are attached ropes F' F',

which are tied to posts G G. For the purpose of stretching out the lower end of the escape, a

Vthe canvas. The canvas is provided with holes a c, for the purpose of receiving the hooksl) D when it is desirable to shorten the escape.

The springs 7c and k' are attached tothe boards I, Il and I2. bypassing the ends of the springs through the boards, and are clinched on the opposite side. Cuffs O, made of leather, provided with straps o', are worn on the elbows' of heavy persons. The straps o' are held between the thumb and finger, the cuff litting over the elbows,which enables the wearers to regulate the speed of their descent by pressing their elbows against the sides of the canvas. The circular boards I, I', and I2, in order to secure lightness and strength, are made by gluing` thin boards together, having their grains to run in opposite directions. To the canvas A are at tached ropes p p, the escape from being overturned by wind. `-In order tooperate my invention properly, the end of the canvas provided with the loops B B is attached to the hooks C C or to the scantling C'. fastened to posts G G, which are situated at a suitable distance from the building, which hold the lower end of the escape above the ground, and retain the escape in a sloping position, the lower end of the escape being a sufficient distance from the building to retain the escape at forty-live to sixty degrees.` Persons or merfor the purpose of preventing The ropes F' F' are then securely TOO ohandise placed in the upper end of the slide or chute slide down until they oonie in Contact with a cushion arranged in connection with the spring-receiver, which compresses under the force of the body coniing in Contact with it,and relieves the shoelgwhieh would otherwise be severe, if not fatal. Persons can regulate the velocity oi' their descent by providing their arins with the cuffs O, and, as they descend, pressing their elbows against the sides of the slide or ehute. The rope L provides another method for assisting persons to partially sustain their weight while descending` byletting thelnselves down by their hands. Vhere high buildings are situated on narrow streets, the lower end of the iire-eseape maybe carried obliquely along the street, as shown in Fig. 2, or may be carried into windows or doors in houses on the opposite side ofthe street from that of the house from which it is desired to remove persons or property.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I elaini as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a nre-escape, a slide or chute, A, eoniposed of canvas or other ilexiblo material, hav ing its edges strengthened by ropes provided with loops I3 B and loops D B', and having its lower end formed into a cylindrical-shaped spring-receiver, E, t-he hooks D D, ropes d d, loops F F, stationary bottoni I, springs k 7c 7i', partition-board I', springs 7c 7a la', and board I", having the cushion and cover attaehed,as specied and described.

2. The eonibination,withaiireeseape, of the slide or chute A and cylindrical springde oeiver 1*],the ropes II and F, and posts G, fully as set forth.

rIheeo1nbination,with aiire-escape, of the eui'fs O, having straps o, for the purpose of protecting the elbows from injury while descending, fully as set forthand described.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT \V. BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

SAXDFORD Rieiiimns, JOHN A. GURTIs. 

